Wireless communication networks enable voice and data services for various mobile electronic devices, such as cellular phones, personal digital assistants, and laptop computers. The increased use of these, and many other, electronic devices has resulted in an increased demand for high-speed, reliable, and efficient wireless communication networks.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary wireless communication network 100 for providing wireless services to electronic devices. Network 100 includes base station 102, which provides communication services over a coverage area 104. The services may include voice over IP (VoIP), or other streaming data. Mobile stations 106A, 106B, and 106C are physically located within coverage area 104, and receive the services provided by base station 102.
Each of mobile stations 106A, 106B, and 106C may receive a different service from base station 102. For example, each of mobile stations 106A, 106B, and 106C may be connected to a different VoIP telephone call. Base station 102 broadcasts data frames to mobile stations 106A, 106B, and 106C to provide the different services. Each broadcasted data frame includes data for each of mobile stations 106A, 106B, and 106C. Therefore, when mobile stations 106A, 106B, and 106C receive a broadcasted data frame, they need to determine which portion of the data, in the data frame, is intended for them. As such, mobile stations 106A, 106B, and 106C require additional information to determine which portion of the data, in the data frame, they should process.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a stream of data frames 200 that is broadcasted by a base station, such as base station 102. Stream 200 includes data frames 202, 204, and 206, which are sequentially broadcasted by the base station. Data frames 202, 204, and 206 each have a bandwidth and a frame length. Moreover, each of data frames 202, 204, and 206 includes data that is intended for several mobile stations. For example, data frame 202 includes data intended for mobile stations A-H.
The mobile stations receiving data frames 202, 204, and 206 need to determine which portion of each received data frame they should read. Accordingly, data frames 202, 204, and 206 include allocation messages 208, 210, and 212, respectively. Allocation messages 208, 210, and 212 list the mobile stations for which the corresponding data frames 202, 204, and 206 are intended. For example, allocation message 208 lists mobile stations A-H. This means that data frame 202 includes information intended for mobile stations A-H. Moreover, for each of listed mobile stations A-H, allocation message 208 also includes a corresponding location, within data frame 202, at which relevant data for each listed mobile station is located.
For example, when mobile station D receives data frame 202, it needs to determine which part of frame 202 is intended for mobile station D. Therefore, mobile station D reads allocation message 208 to determine a location within data frame 202, which contains data intended for mobile station D. Mobile station D then reads the portion of data frame 202 containing that data.
Moreover, allocation messages 208, 210, and 212 are non-persistent in nature. This means that the information provided in allocation messages 208, 210, and 212 is not maintained by the mobile station. Therefore, the same information may be repeated by subsequent allocation messages.
For example, allocation messages 208, 210, and 212 list mobile stations, even when the same mobile stations were listed in a previous allocation message. For example, allocation message 212 lists mobile stations A, B, and H, even though mobile stations A, B, and H were previously listed in allocation messages 208 and 210. This repeated listing of mobile stations A, B, and H in allocation message 212 may introduce unnecessary communications overhead.